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450t Liebherr for Franz Bracht

German crane rental company Franz Bracht Kran-Vermietung has taken delivery of a 450 tonne Liebherr LTM 1450-8.1 All Terrain crane.

The eight axle LTM 1450-8.1 can travel complete with its 85 metre main boom within 12 tonne axle loads, and can lift 20 tonnes on the fully extended boom. It went straight out on a job erecting a Liebherr 172 EC-B Litronic flat top tower crane at a cement plant in Erwitte, north western Germany.

The Liebherr LTM 1450-8.1 erecting the 172 EC-B Litronic flat top tower crane
Owner Dirk Bracht said: “Not only do we save time because we don’t have to do add a lattice jib, but we don’t even have to transport it to the site. Moreover, we don’t need a setup crane to install it on the telescopic boom. This means significant savings in time and cost for erecting and dismantling tower cranes.”

“The LTM 1450-8.1 is the most innovative crane in its class. We mainly use it to erect tower cranes, but it also carries out work at chemical plants and refineries. Since those sites are often very constricted, VarioBase and VarioBallast are very valuable functions. Furthermore, the crane will also be used at bridge construction sites which often involve two 500 tonne telescopic cranes working together. This is because the LTM 1450-8.1 can replace a 500 tonne crane as a result of its very good close in lifting capacity values.”

Established in 1964, Franz Bracht is based in Erwitte and operates from a number of locations in North Rhine-Westphalia. The company employs 740, and its fleet includes around 250 cranes with capacities ranging between seven and 1,600 tonnes. It also provides heavy haulage services, and has 200 aerial work platforms available for rental through its Hofmann Kranvermietung subsidiary.